Local businessman and philanthropist Doug Witcher was recognized Wednesday for donating $20 million to High Point University by having the School of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences named after him, but he almost didn’t make it to what he called one of the most important events of his life. On Wednesday...

Troublesomely high inflation rates may have an overlooked metric at their source: soaring insurance costs. But don’t take our word for it, just listen to Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Several types of insurance, including home and car insurance, have surged over the past few years, and it’s hurting the...

New Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley will resign from his other position leading the North Carolina GOP later this month. Whatley was former President Donald Trump’s handpicked choice to succeed longtime RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, and was elected last Friday at an RNC meeting. In an open letter to...

When Asheboro furniture manufacturer Klaussner Home Furnishings abruptly closed in August, it left nearly 900 workers unemployed. One of them was Cassandra Hall, who faced the daunting prospect of somehow starting over at age 57. “That was devastating,” she said. “I had been there for 20 plus years, and I...

North Carolina’s top health official hopes the state can expand Medicaid access to Wegovy — the blockbuster weight-loss drug recently approved as a treatment for cardiovascular disease by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration — without breaking the bank. On Tuesday, Kody Kinsley, secretary of the N.C. Department of Health...

General Electric Aerospace will make a $650 million investment in its manufacturing facilities and supply chain in 2024, with multi-millions coming to its local facility on Castle Hayne Road. The money will fund increased production to support its commercial and defense customers. A spokesperson for GE Aerospace said it’s to...

For many college students, the timing of North Carolina’s legalization of sports betting had a storybook feel. After Gov. Roy Cooper signed House Bill 347 into law last June, the State Lottery Commission made January 8 the target date for going live. But logistical hurdles pushed the start date back...

Guilford County government currently plays only a minor role in matters related to water systems – that service has always been one provided by towns and cities. However, that could change in a big way as Guilford County government is now considering the ways in which it could play a...

Major political parties’ nominees for governor, Democrat Josh Stein and Republican Mark Robinson, are viewed favorably by just 37% of likely voters statewide. But Robinson faces far more critics than Stein, according to a new WRAL News poll. Twenty-eight percent of likely voters say they hold an unfavorable view of...

The Lexington City Schools Board of Education voted to start the next academic year earlier than outlined by state law. The district joins several others in the state making the same decision. North Carolina legislation states that school can’t start before the Monday closest to August 26. But several districts...

The plane is a Cessna Caravan 208B EX, and is loaded with the latest technology. Jamie Bishop, IOMAX vice president of engineering, said, “The aircraft is equipped with a variety of state-of-the-art equipment such as the high definition L3 Wescan MX-15 EO/IR sensor and Thales I-master radar. These devices are...

The North Carolina Department of Labor last week fined a farm in Nash County $187,509 after the death of a seasonal farm worker last September. The department cited Barnes Farming with what’s called a “willful serious violation,” along with two other “serious” violations, fining the company the maximum penalty. The...

The aroma of cigarettes, coffee, and Snickers bars fills the air outside of Fowler’s Supermarket on a rainy Sunday morning. Just before they head to church, a dozen men gather on the long wooden benches and plastic rocking chairs outside the store and debrief the local goings on. It’s been...

North Carolina’s GOP-controlled legislature unlawfully tried to seize from the governor the power to choose elections board members in the battleground state, trial judges ruled while saying portions of a new election law must be permanently blocked. The three-judge panel sided unanimously with Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper in his lawsuit...

A crowd of elected officials and local stakeholders were given insight into the future of Wilmington homelessness if more housing isn’t built at the Cape Fear Housing Coalition’s annual affordable housing event. Gregg Colburn, an associate professor of real estate at the University of Washington and researcher and author on...